Dark Horse IS Webcomics, Bitstrips Owns You ~AND~ If Possible, MORE

– First, and most egregiously, the ComixTalkers have uncovered a sinister secret behind a new comicking tool called Bitstrips. Apparently, through some fancy wordspeak, the Bitstrips crew can claim joint ownership of just about anything you create with their tools. Scope this quote, straight from their terms of agreement:

Anything, including any comic strip, character, scene and/or text, that You create and/or make publicly available for use and modification through Bitstrips Tools by Bitstrips or its users (“Shared Content“), shall be jointly owned by You and Bitstrips with You and Bitstrips deemed to be joint authors. Any Shared Content that is modified by a third party user of Bitstrips will be owned solely by Bitstrips.

Beware! Bitstrips will help you with your webcomic creating needs, but should you develop enough skill with that, you will owe them your soul.

Also, this can be used to make silly strips in mockery of the whole thing, like David Willis did here.

– Speaking of ComixTalk, seems they’re gettin’ a spanking new site soon. Hopefully the name change is a part of this revamp. I figured for a while it was all some really, really early April Fool’s prank, but now I’m not so sure.

– After a well publicized hostile takeover, KC Green is now the property of Keenspot. Or he might as well be, as two of his works, Bee Power and Horribleville, are now a part of the Keenspot line-up, your one-stop shop for everything webcomics! Other strips are yet to be announced, but really, there’s only so much of KC’s dirty insanity one can be subjected to before drastic measures must be taken.

…

Aw, who am I kiddin’? Congrats, KC, and bring on some more insanity! (Dirtiness not condoned by The Midnight Cartooner)

– Over on Comixology (SERIOUSLY PEOPLE. Using “x” in an uncessary manner went out in the 90’s) Shaenon K. Garrity runs down the Web Cartoonists’ Choice Awards (WCCAs), quite literally. She writes mainly about the shortcomings and downfalls of the awards, even going as far as to quote John Solomon’s Your Webcomic Is Bad And You Should Feel Bad.

By the time she reaches the conclusion, however, the WCCAs have redeemed themselves in her eyes as a chance to catch up with the winners of webcomics on an annual basis. I guess, for that purpose, the WCCAs still have a place in our world.

– And while we’re on the subject, Solomon’s vitriolic spewfest has been updating once again and you should stop by to see what he hates now! Just remember you have to feel bad afterward.

– Kazu Kibuishi has announced that Copper (his work, duh) will be published in 2010 by none other than giant publisher, Scholastic. With his now-optioned work, Amulet, already under the Scholastic umbrella, this is really just the icing on the cake. It’s no secret that Copper is one of the best looking comics ever, but with the deal including both trade paperback and library hardcover editions, hopefully this deal will get Kibuishi’s work into as many hands as possible.

– The Beat has uncovered the cover art for the upcoming Achewood collection, The Great Outdoor Fight.

Yeah, I really have no idea what’s going on, but that’s how I find the strip, too, so I guess it’s a perfect fit. Enjoy and remember, pre-orders start in April!

– Also from Dark Horse, the Wondermark book, Beards of Our Forefathers, releases in June, so the publicity train is now getting up to speed. Courtesy of Wondermark creator himself, David Malki, we have links to interviews by Publisher’s Weekly and ICv2 as well as the official Dark Horse press release. I know I’m excited! How could you not be with all this press?

– Our final item is a link to Rick Marshall’s recent interview with OverCompensating’s Jeffrey Rowland.Â The two talk about how Jeffrey is able to balance the responsibility of updating a webcomic with basically running his own business with TopatoCo. the merchandising arm of the Rowland empire.Â Good readin’, it is.

I leave you with a reminder to check out Joystiq’s Weekly Webcomic Wrapup.Â The popular gaming blog lists a smattering of the best gaming webcomics each week (typically posted towards the weekend) and is another great place to find some real gems.Â Check out the wares and stay tuned for more Interest Piquers!